Strengths-Based Professional Development: Time to Shift the Paradigm

I never tire of that quote despite the fact that I39ve kicked off countless leadership development training sessions with it The concept is a simple one discover what your talents are and then use your gifts to positively impact the worldImagine what could be possible if we all consistently focused our energy in that wayIn my nearly 30 years in the advertising industry as a business leader and now a leadership coach I39ve noticed that we lose sight of that concept rather quickly Urgent client needs an anxietyproducing rate of industry change fear of failure and conforming to notions of who we think we should be get in the way When you combine those human truths with the reality that most of us in this business are overly driven and high achievers it39s easy to see why we focus on quotfixingquot the things we don39t do well Just like that Donald Clifton39s empowering words get lost in the shuffleNevertheless the realities of our business require us to make an important shiftIn a complex and fastmoving industry we cannot also ask our employees to be all things to all peopleamp160 When we focus employee development on quotfixingquot weaknesses we contribute to creating a culture fueled by fear of failure or inadequacy When we shift our focus from what we can39t do to identifying ways to use our talents to meaningfully contribute to our company39s business goals we can begin to create a culture where people feel empowered versus afraid During a recent coaching session with one of our employees I asked what they feel is most impactful about shifting to a strengthsbased approach and they said quotFocusing on strengths that can be channeled and capitalized on rather than focusing on weaknesses which can diminish confidence and productivityquotThis employee39s words are a great example of how shifting our focus to employee strengths instead of weaknesses is good for business When we make that change three important things happenEmployees39 work engagement goes upRelationships improveWe embrace diversity and our differencesThe Shift Leads to Employees Who Become Actively EngagedBy focusing on our employees39 strengths we can help build positivity and confidence Employees bring a heightened sense of selfawareness and personal ownership to their work when they intentionally use their talents to positively impact the business and the people around themamp160When we take that one step further and link our employee39s strengths to business goals their commitment to achieving them improves It makes the business goal more tangible Employees can more clearly see how they can use their talents to contribute to achieving business milestonesWith that commitment comes a sense of personal and professional fulfillment amp8212 they become fully engaged in their work And as research indicates strong employee engagement can lead to real and positive business outcomes In fact Gallup research shows that when employees get to do what they do best each day engagement productivity and business results all improveEngaged Employees Have Stronger RelationshipsWhen managers and their direct reports engage in a strengthsbased conversation by sharing their strengths and what motivates them with each other the relationship becomes more real and authentic We get to know each other better what brings out the best and worst in us what we can count on each other for and what we need from each other We simply better understand what makes a person tick and as a result we can find new ways to inspire and motivate each other Great things are possible for organizations when there is an energetic undercurrent of inspiration and motivation fueling the people who work thereWe Embrace Our DifferencesPerhaps most important rather than resist our differences we instead embrace and value them A strengthsbased approach cultivates a deep appreciation for the diversity that exists within an organization When employees look for and value the unique strengths in their colleagues they realize they don39t have to be all things to all people and that39s a relief With that diversity of talent comes collaboration teamwork and innovation amp8212 and that39s good for businessWhen leaders and their teams focus their energy on actively applying their strengths to their work they become more resilient and respond to challenges in more purposeful and creative ways The anxiety produced by rapid change fear of failure and conformity are replaced by possibility courage and authenticity And that makes our work amp8212 and our world amp8212 a better placeClick the social buttons to share this story with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Strengths-Based Professional Development: Time to Shift the Paradigm

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Michelle Thomas

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Strengths-Based Professional Development: Time to Shift the Paradigm

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